


a flower yet to bloom

by blazeofglory



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Prostitution
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-02-14 15:10:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2196507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blazeofglory/pseuds/blazeofglory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marius is beautiful and gentle and maybe a little bit broken. Courfeyrac just wants to take care of him-- and maybe fall in love along the way.</p><p>[This is probably never getting finished, tbh.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Marius Pontmercy is an absolute angel. The human version of a rainbow. A puppy that can walk and talk. Basically, he’s a total sweetheart. He’s beautiful, and he’s genuine, and Courfeyrac has never met someone more kind. Marius Pontmercy is so, so far out of his league.

Marius has big, blue eyes and a sweet smile. He blushes easily and hates scary movies. He doesn’t stare when pretty girls walk by; doesn’t stare at pretty boys either. Either he’s extremely polite, or just not interested in sex; Courfeyrac hopes he’s just really polite but actually loves dick. He really, really hopes. Marus doesn’t get drunk and flirt with the closest person he sees, and he never lets a friend walk home alone. Marius is _pure_ and good and everything beautiful in the world. Really, Courfeyrac could wax poetic about this boy for hours and hours.

As innocent and virginal as Marius seems, though, Courfeyrac can’t help but feel like there’s something he’s _missing_. He hasn’t known Marius long; they met about two months ago. Marius needed a place to live, and Combeferre had just moved in with Enjolras, so Courfeyrac offered him Ferre’s old room. The kid had just seemed so sweet and genuine, Courf couldn’t bare to leave him with nowhere to go. Marius still has yet to share what exactly led up to that moment, which is really what starts Courfeyrac to think that there’s something amiss.

Why was Marius suddenly left homeless and jobless for Courfeyrac to find in the streets? Why did he only have a backpack full of clothes and old boots to his name? Why did he blow Courf off every time he asked about his past? All Courfeyrac knows about Marius’ past is that he’d been disowned a few years back, though Marius hadn’t said why. And all Courfeyrac knows about Marius’ present is that he is grateful to be able to stay in the flat, and he works three jobs.

There are other things that worry Courfeyrac too. While Marius is _always_ happy and pleasant around people, sometimes, at home… He looks sad. Some days, Courfeyrac will go to bed while Marius is sitting on the couch reading a book, and Courfeyrac will wake in the morning to find Marius still there, but no longer reading; just staring at the wall. He always brushes off Courfeyrac’s concern, forces a smile, and offers breakfast.

Marius usually comes to the meetings at the Musain, where he seems to get along just fine with everyone. He does not agree with Enjolras on a lot of points, but he never speaks up. He sits quietly and talks politely when the meeting ends. He seems alright around such a big group most of the time; that is, until Courfeyrac starts watching a little closer. Marius sits close to him, but not close to anyone else. He does not touch. Joly had patted his knee one day, and Marius had flinched so hard, his knee hit the table.

It’s after that particular illumination that Courfeyrac starts to worry. He watches more carefully, he notes down Marius’s work schedules. He drops in at the bookstore and the drugstore and the coffee shop every time Marius is working and Courfeyrac isn’t in class. Marius always smiles when they see each other, and everything seems… okay. Whatever’s wrong, Courfeyrac is suddenly positive that it has to do with Marius’ past; not his present.

So, one night, Marius is working a late shift at the drugstore, and Courferyrac is sitting on the old, worn couch that he, Combeferre, and Enjolras had picked out when they were college freshmen-- they’re juniors now, and it already feels like a lifetime has gone by. They have so many more friends now, so many good memories. Combeferre and Enjolras finally got their shit together sophomore year and kissed on New Year’s; Joly and Bossuet met Musichetta. They met Grantaire, watched him spiral down a dark path, then helped him back out of it; they still help him every time he looks like he may fall again. They met Feuilly and Bahorel and Jehan and Eponine and Cosette too, a support system that they had all helped create. So much has changed. Courfeyrac has known since the moment he met Marius that he would become a part of this too.

He waits. He waits for Marius to come home. He waits for hours, long after Marius’ shift has ended. He worries, and bites his nails, and texts his roommate, but all he gets in response is the sound of Marius’ phone vibrating on the kitchen counter. Eventually, around 5 am, three hours after Marius should’ve been home, he arrives. Courfeyrac jumps up from the couch at the sound of the front door opening and immediately drags Marius into a hug when he steps through the door.

“Courfeyrac?” Marius asks, voice muffled against his friend’s shoulder. He hugs back, though obviously confused as to _why_. Courf lets go after a long moment, awkwardly taking a step back. Surprisingly, Marius doesn’t look put off by the touching.

“Hey! Uh, sorry, I just-- you got off work _hours_ ago!” Courfeyrac blurts out, sounding a lot more worried than he’d hoped to come across. But whatever; he was concerned about Marius, so what? He cares. Marius just blushes, looking down, as perfect and puppy-like as always.

“I would’ve called, but I forgot my phone,” Marius admits sheepishly, glancing over at the kitchen counter. “I just ended up working later.”

Courfeyrac nods, barely resisting the urge to pull Marius into another hug. They’ve both been up all night, and Courfeyrac is tired and kind of wrung out from worrying. “I worry about you. Honest to god, you’re too good for this world.”

Marius looks up briefly, and when their eyes meet, Courfeyrac swears it’s the same look Marius has when he stares at the wall all those long nights, but Marius looks away too fast for him to really tell. He does look guilty though, and upset, and suddenly Courfeyrac feels awful for making him feel bad. “I didn’t mean to worry you,” Marius says in a small voice. And Courfeyrac can hear what he’s not saying-- _that no one has worried about him before._

God, his heart is breaking for this boy he barely knows. Courf hugs him again, even tighter than before, and doesn’t let go for a long time. He may not know what happened to Marius to make him like this, but he knows that he will do everything in his power to make him feel loved and cared for. Marius is stiff in his arms, clearly unused to being cuddled and cradled, but he relaxes after a moment. He lets Courfeyrac press a kiss to his shoulder, and he kisses the top of Courf’s head in return. It’s a start. 


	2. Chapter 2

Courfeyrac wants to ask Marius about his past in that moment, but he doesn’t. He holds Marius a minute longer, then lets him go, smiling at the delicate blush on the taller man’s features. They say goodnight and go to bed. When Courfeyrac wakes again, it’s the middle of the afternoon, and he’s very glad it’s a Saturday. Marius is still asleep.

Courfeyrac needs a plan. He doesn’t know exactly what he wants to achieve here-- if he wants to be Marius’ best friend or his boyfriend, and even if he wants to pry about his past or just hope that Marius tells him someday. And, well, Courfeyrac has never been good at planning, so he consults the two people he knows _are._

 **[Courfeyrac to: Combeferre and Enjolras]** I need your help.

 **Ferre:** what’s up?

 **Enjolras:**  please don’t be drunk and lost again

 **Courf:** it’s like 3 in the afternoon, why would i be drunk??

 **Courf:** just to clarify, i’m not.

 **Enjolras:** okay, good. what do you need?

 **Courf:** i have a Marius problem.

 **Ferre:** Did you sleep with him?

 **Courf:** no. but i want to. but i’m not sure i should. or if he’s interested.

 **Enjolras:** why don’t you ask him?

 **Ferre:** why do you think you shouldn’t?

 **Courf:** enj, i can’t just ASK him. god. and ferre, he’s a delicate flower. i think he needs a friend more than a boyfriend??

 **Enjolras:** it’s possible to be both, you know.

 **Ferre:** Exactly what I was gonna say.

 **Enjolras:** :)

 **Ferre:** :) :)

 **Courf:** keep your flirting to yourselves

They did make a good point, though. Courfeyrac could be a kind, supporting friend while also being a loving, affectionate boyfriend. That was totally doable-- and it sounded really, _really_ good. He won’t push, though. The friend part comes first, and obviously, they’re already friends. They just need to be _closer_ friends. Friends that share secrets and worry about each other without it being weird. He wants to be the friend that Marius can trust and confide in.

And then, y’know, he wants to suck Marius’ cock. But that’ll come later.

When Marius wakes up another hour later, it’s to the smell of pancakes and bacon. When he stumbles into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and yawning, Courfeyrac feels that love at first sight feeling all over again. Marius is just so god damn _cute_ , it’s unreal. He’s like something out of a Disney movie, except even even more adorable. Courfeyrac smiles at him. “Want breakfast? Even though it’s like almost dinner time?”

“Mm, that sounds delicious,” Marius murmurs, sitting on a stool next to the counter and folding his arms on it, resting his head on them. He smiles back at Courfeyrac, his pretty eyes sleepy and his ginger hair a mess. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” Courf answers, tearing his gaze away to turn back to the pancakes. “You don’t have work today, right?”

Marius mumbles an affirmative sound into his sleeve, eyes slipping shut. Courfeyrac had already poured the orange juice, so he set a glass in front of Marius. He would’ve made coffee to wake both of them up, but Marius, sweet as pie Marius, thinks it’s too bitter even with as much sugar and cream as possible. When it comes to warm drinks, Marius always picks hot chocolate. Courfeyrac tries to make his coffee only when Marius isn’t home because he’d once mentioned that he isn’t too fond of the smell either.

Only a few minutes of cooking later, breakfast is ready, so Courfeyrac serves it up and sets Marius’ plate next to his folded up arms, then joins him sitting at the counter with his own. Marius perks up, smiling that endearing little smile, and properly sits up. He says _thanks_ again before tucking in, matching Courfeyrac with how fast he devours the entire plate. They eat in comfortable silence, then Marius offers to do the dishes.

“That’d be awesome, thanks,” Courfeyrac answers, setting his plate in the sink. “Let’s do something today.”

Marius pauses in putting on the pink dish washing gloves, looking up with a raised brow. “Something like what?”

Courfeyrac shrugs, already walking towards his room to get dressed. “I’ve got an idea in mind.”


End file.
